The Ford Ironman Louisville Triathlon is an annual event that was held for the first time in Louisville in 2007. It is a three-part race that includes a 2.4 mile swim through the Ohio River, and a 112 mile bike trek and 26.2 mile run through areas like Downtown Louisville, Prospect, LaGrange, Clifton, and Butchertown. The race begins on the Waterfront Park Great Lawn and ends at Fourth Street Live in Downtown Louisville.

Louisville Ironman Race:

The first annual Ford Ironman Louisville race was held in 2007. Nearly two thousand athletes participated in the triathlon while thousands more watched from the sidelines. The large turnout of people sealed the deal for Louisville as the host of an annual Ironman Triathlon. Ironman Louisville is held annually near the end of August.

Ironman Louisville Course:

The Ford Ironman Louisville course leads athletes through a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike trek, and 26.2 mile run. The swimming course begins and ends at Waterfront Park and consists of a swimming a loop through the Ohio River. The bike course starts out flat as athletes head down River Road toward Oldham County before becoming hilly. The final course is the marathon portion of the course, starting back at Waterfront Park and ending in Downtown Louisville's Fourth Street Live. Ironman Louisville course maps are available through the Ironman Louisville website.

Ironman Louisville Registration:

Athletes interested in participating in the Ford Ironman Louisville Triathlon must register early – registration generally begins within a month of the end of the annual competition.

In it's inaugural year, registration spots for Ironman Louisville were filled within the first nine days of the open registration period, so it's best that interested individuals register early in order to be guaranteed a spot in the competition.

Ironman Louisville Volunteers:

Individuals who want to be a part of the action without actually competing in the triathlon may be interested in becoming an Ironman Louisville volunteer. Ironman Louisville event coordinators are constantly looking for individual and group volunteers to assist in the many happenings that are a part of Ironman Louisville. To apply to become a volunteer or to learn more about the open positions, visit the Ironman Louisville Volunteer webpage.